Stopper for vacuum-bottles



R. S. PORTER. STOPPER FOR VACUUM BOTTLES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 27,1920.

1,385,394. v Patented July 26, 1921.

R0 bert S arta? INVENTOR wn-NEssEs '0 BY o ATTORNEY UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT S. PORTER, OF DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TOEDWARD G. SIGGERS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26, 1921.

Application filed July 27, 1920. Serial No. 399,370.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ronnrrr S. PORTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented a new and useful Stopper for Vacuum-Bottles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bottle stoppers, and particularly to closures for those hottles commonly known as vacuum or thermos bottles.

Vacuum bottles as at present made are closed by an ordinar cork and have a screw cap which is secure to the metal casing of the bottle. The inside of the bottle is made of thin glass spaced from the walls of the metal casing and insulated usually by a partial vacuum. These bottles have several serious disadvantages. In the first place, the glass is highly polished and reflects light so readily that even when it is full of water it is almost impossible to find out where the level of the liquid is. If the bottle is practically full and the cork is forced into it, a hydraulic pressure may be created so great as to break the bottle, especially if the cork is a long one.

If the vacuum bottlebe not entirely filled with liquid and if the liquid be hot, vapor pressure will soon become great enough within the bottle to force the cork out, frequentl with resulting splashing of the liquid. his is especially apt to occur when the cork has been used some time and has been softened sothat it does not obtain a good grip within the neck of the bottle.

A further objectionable feature of these bottles is that it is ve hard to remove the cork after it-has been 0 dsed'for a few hours. This results fromthe vacuum created within the bottle when the steam condenses.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a stopper so constructed as to ventthe breaking of the bottle with hydraulic pressure; which will relieve air pressure when inserted in a bottle not entirely filled with liquid; which will relieve the vacuum within the bottle so that thecork can be easilyremoved; and which will not compress the air in the bottle when it is inserted, so that it may be seated air-tight the first time without subsequent liability of displacement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stopper which, while offering the advantages just mentioned, has no projectmg stem to interfere with the screw cap of the bottle, and which in fact may be used with all types of such bottles.

Another object is to provide a stopper which is substantial and has long life, which can be easily cleaned, whose parts may be disassembled and renewed, if desired, and which in general is peculiarly adapted for vacuum bottle use. i

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing in the drawing, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of the im' proved stopper.

Fig. 2 is a vertical axial sectionthrough the stopper. j f

The numeral 5 indicates the body of the stopper which is preferably of cork, although it may be made of rubber, fiber or other compressible material. This stopper body has a longitudinal axial bore and a counterbore extending for approximately half the length of the stopper. The length of this counterbore is not material long as it terminates intermediate the stopper end. A bushing is provided to snugly fit thebore and counterhore. The portion 6 of the bushing is received within the bore and has its lower end flanged or upset as shown at 7, so that it may grip the stopper body more securely. The bushing has an en larged portion 9 fitting the counterbore and an annular shoulder 8 joining the portions 6 and 9. The upper end of section 9 is flanged or upset as indicated at 10 so that the bushing may grip the cork without danger of displacement.

A 'push button 11 is slidably mounted within the portion 9 of the bushing. This push button is hollow, closed at the upper end, and projects atthat end above the top of the stopper for a short distance. A screw threaded sleeve extends axially of the push button and has a small diameter relative to cork therein.

the'push button. A coil spring 13' is received within the hollow push button and bears at its upper end against the upper inner wall of the push button and at its lower end against the annular shoulder 8. This coil spring surrounds the sleeve or tube 12 and also the valve stem 14c which is screwthreaded at its upper end to engage with the sleeve 12. The valve stem 14 is of sufficient length to project both above and be low the corresponding ends of the stopper, and is held in the longitudinal axis of thebushing out of contact with the walls'thereoii.

The lower end of the valve stem 14: has a knob17 and a snap button 16 spaced from the knob. A valve 18 which is hemispherical and hollow is mounted on this end of the stem and is removable from the stem. It has a central aperture 19 large enough to admit the valve stem to allow the snap button to pass through'this aperture and then expand to removably hold the valve on the stem. The knob 17 is considerably larger than the aperture 19- a'nd prevents the valve from. falling off the end of the stem. The circular edge of thevalve 20, when the valve is in seating position, is pressed against the lower end of the stopper surrounding the space'from the lower end 7 of the bushing. This seatingof the valve is maintained by the pressure of the spring 13 against the push button, and since the stopper body is of yieldable material, the valve seals the bushing and prevents any possibility of 'vapor finding its way through the cork by way of the bushing. 7

When it is desired to seal the vacuum bottle with the present stopper, all that it is necessary to do is. to grasp the stopper with the first two: fingers and press downward upon the push button with the thumb, thereby unseating the valve. If the bottle is filled too full of liquid, the same may pass up through the passageway afforded by the bushing and thus save the bottle. from being broken. If'the bottle is not full, no air willbe compressed'by the insertion of the If it isdesired. to remove the cork after it has been on the bottle for a number of hours, the push button should be depressed, thus releaving any vacuum, whereupon the cork is very easily removed.

The valve may be made to seat on metal instead of cork if this is desired, but in such case'thevalve itself should not be all metal; otherwise a perfect seal will be difficult. to maintain- The device is extremely simple, all the parts thereof may be cleaned or renewed, it is efficient, and. has long life.

What is claimedis:

1, The combination with a one-piece compressible stopper having a central. longitudinal bore, a bushing snugly fitting the entire length of said bore, a valve stem extending through the bushing, a valve on the lower end ofthc stem, and means for causing the valve to be seated on the corresponding end of the stopper free of the bushing, said valve being hollow whereby only its edge rests on the stopper.

2. A stopper having a central longitudinal bore, a longitudinal countcrborc terminating intermediate the ends of the stopper, a bush.- ing snugly fitting thebore and counterbore, an annular shoulder being provided. where the bore and the countcrbore join, a hollow push button slidably mounted within said part of the bushing fitting the countcrborc and having its upper end closed and, projecting for a short distance without the stopper, a valve stem secured to the push button. a coil spring received within the bushing and push button and bearing at one end against the upper inner wall of the push button and at the other end against the shoulder, and a valve mounted on the lower end of: the stem.

3. A stopper having a central longitudinal axial bore, a valve stem passing through said bore and extending above the top of and below the bottom oi the stopper, a valve on the lower end of said stem, said valve being hemispherical and hollow and of the diameter greater than that of the lower end of the bore, and means for causing the valve to be seated normally upon the lower end 01 the stopper with the concave part racing in wardly with respect to the stopper and the edge thereof surrounding the bushing and compressed into the material of the stopper body.

4-. A stopper having a central longitudinal axial bore, a valve stem passing through said bore and extending beyond each end of the stopper, a valve on the lower end of said stem, said valve being hemispherical and hollow and of a diameter greater than that of the lower end of the bore, said valve stem having a knob at the lower extremity thereofand a snap button spaced from the knob, said valve having a central aperture large enough to pass the valve stem and the snap button but smaller than the knob.

whereby the valve is prevented from moving of? the lower end of the stem, and means for causing the valve to be normally seated upon the lower end of the stopper and pressed into the material of the stopper body.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto allixcd my signature.

ROBERT S. PORTER. 

